Description
Learn how to make delicious Mini Lemon Cakes With Lavender Glaze. Easy recipe with step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (for a lighter texture, you can substitute half with cake flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature is key for easy creaming)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (free-range or organic if possible for best flavor)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 2 lemons (make sure to zest only the yellow part, avoiding the bitter white pith)
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
- ½ cup buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk, mix ½ cup milk with 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes)
- For the lavender glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender (you can substitute with edible rose petals or skip if unavailable)
- 1–2 teaspoons water, to thin as needed
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a mini muffin pan or line it with paper liners. I find greasing works best here to keep the bottoms crisp and golden.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Combining these dry ingredients first helps them distribute evenly in the batter.
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the softened butter and sugar together for about 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial for tender cakes, so don’t rush it.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon zest, letting that fresh citrus aroma fill your kitchen—this always reminds me of the summers back home by the coast.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined; overmixing can lead to dense cakes.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared mini muffin pan, filling each about ¾ full. This helps avoid overflow and ensures even cooking.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges are lightly golden. I like to check at 15 minutes to avoid drying them out—these little cakes bake fast!
- While the cakes bake, prepare the lavender glaze. In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and dried lavender. Let it steep for about 10 minutes to infuse the flavor, then strain out the lavender buds for a smooth glaze. Add water a little at a time to reach a drizzling consistency.
- Once the cakes are cool—this part is important to avoid melting the glaze—drizzle the lavender glaze generously over each mini cake. The glaze will set with a slight shine and add that lovely floral touch.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
Keywords: Mini Lemon Cakes With Lavender Glaze, recipe, cooking, food
